Among the Shades
by xXRosexScorpiusXx
Summary: Harry Potter is the younger brother of the boy-who-lived. But that didn't make Charlus the most powerful of the two. In fact Harry, who wasn't monitored by Albus Dumbledore as closely as Charlus, had a lot more space to explore his limits. However, the usual light magic was certainly not what fascinated him. Gray and powerful!Harry
1. Among the Shades

**A/N: Hello everyone! I know, I know, another twin-who-lived story, but I really wanted to write my own piece. Besides, it depends on your reception whether I leave it at that or continue. =)**

* * *

"_Merlin's Beard, you're Charlus Potter!"_

"_No, I'm Harry; just Harry. I'm Charlus' twin brother. I don't have a scar."_

"_Oh, I didn't know he had a brother. Could you introduce me to him? Please?"_

Harry James Potter was the twin brother of the boy-who-lived.

And sometimes he truly hated it.

"_Your name is Harry, right? I'm Amanda. How is it like to be the brother of the boy-who-lived?"_

"_Are you kidding me Mandy? It must be bloody awesome! I'd love to be related to Charlus Potter! My name is Jason by the way."_

It was like living in a shadow.

Harry truly felt like someone wrapped him into a dark blanket that tried to smother him.

"_My big brother will be in the same year as Charlus! I'm so jealous. I want to have classes with him too! He must be a magical prodigy. He defeated You-know-who after all."_

"_I know right? He has to be powerful. I hope I can see him do magic one day."_

"_Yeah, that would be great. But doesn't he have a twin? Larry?"_

"_You mean Garry, idiot."_

"_Whatever. Do you think that he could be great at magic too?"_

"_Garry Potter? I'm not sure. I mean, never heard much of him. Can't be too special then, right? Besides, producing a child genius like Charlus must have had some consequences. The twin could be a squib for all we know; restoring the balance and all that stuff. However, he could have been lucky. Perhaps, he scraped a little bit of magical power himself. That would put him barely above a squib however..."_

He felt unimportant next to _him_.

Once in a while he even felt unloved.

And he certainly felt invisible.

* * *

Things weren't always too bad for Harry Potter, though. He and his twin brother used to get along splendidly.

They would play with each other, prank their parents and fly together. Doing the usual things twins did. However, things started to change as they grew older.

The wizarding world decided to throw his brother a birthday party when they both turned seven and Charlus started to like the attention he got. Their mother, Lily, tried to keep the press at bay, but their father James was what you would call a limelight hog. The same went for their uncle Sirius, who was additionally a serial womanizer.

Well, the end of the story was that the Potters got pulled more and more into the spotlight, mainly Charlus of course and eventually Harry opted to stay at home. His mother arranged for his uncle Remus to watch over him and Harry used the time to get a head start for school. Remus was a great teacher and in four years Harry managed a lot of the future school material.

He studied the theory of Charms, Transfiguration and Potions. Sometimes he even got the chance to brew a potion with his mother, who was exceptionally good at the subject.

Aside from that he would practice the wand movements for Charms and Transfiguration while holding a normal stick, hoping that the actual spell casting would come easier to him because of it.

Subjects he really enjoyed though, were Astronomy (uncle Sirius gave him a detailed book series that belonged to his younger brother Regulus), Herbology (his mother allowed him to use her small herb garden), History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures (even though it was mostly theory), Muggle Studies (as he found them somewhat fascinating), Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and well, mostly as joke, Divination.

If Harry Potter was anything then it was the complete opposite to his brother Charlus, who hated the thought of reading and studying but had to do it because their parents wanted to prepare him as much as they could.

Charlus aversion to learning drove their mother crazy sometimes, though.

She once asked her oldest son why he couldn't be more like Harry in that regard.

Charlus only response to that was _Harry is a bloody bookworm _and their mother left it at that.

Obviously she gave up.

Dad and uncle Sirius laughed it off and said that Charlus was a true Marauder and thus, a Gryffindor.

And Gryffindors don't need to work their butts off for anything.

They kick butt after all.

* * *

"_Don't worry son. I'm sure Ravenclaw will welcome you with open arms."_

"_Yeah, how could they not? Your face is practically glued to books. Certainly takes care of a bookmarker."_

"_Charlus Sirius Potter! Apologize to your brother this instant!"_

"_B-but, mum!"_

"_Come on, Lily. No need to be so harsh."_

"_Sirius Black, you will keep out of this! These are my sons and I won't have them insulting each other. Merlin knows, naming Charlus after you was definitely a lapse of judgment."_

"_Lily, that's enough. We've got your point."_

"_Is that so James? Well, we will see. Charlus! Apologize. Now!"_

"_I'm sorry Harry."_

He couldn't count the times his brother had to say those words due to their mother's insistence.

She probably hoped to deflate Charlus' ever increasing head, but the few humbling experiences weren't enough to achieve that.

The media attention, admiring peers and false friends, like Ronald Weasley, took care of that.

It was sad, but when they turned eight, Charlus catch phrase would be _I am the boy-who-lived _and some demand would follow subsequently.

At first their mother would get angry and protest, but when they reached the age of nine she just did or allowed whatever the little savior wanted.

She'd say that she did everything to prevent it and that it was a lost cause.

"_Like father, like son."_

That was her excuse for every bit of misbehavior his big brother showed from then on.

Dad and Sirius didn't mind of course. They never really grew up themselves and uncle Remus always said that he have up on them a long time ago.

Due to this Charlus did whatever he wanted and most of the time Ron, his so called best friend, would profit from it as well.

They mostly played Quidditch or convinced James to watch the professional games. Sometimes the Weasley twins would join and every now and again Harry. However, Ronald seemed to dislike him and that made it always a little uncomfortable.

Harry wasn't a fool, though. He suspected that Ron was afraid of his influence over Charlus. He was afraid that Harry could put Ron at odds with Charlus. And in order to prevent such a thing from happening he got there first.

Charlus and Harry were no longer on friendly terms.

They avoided each other most of the time and the strain on their relationship was palpable.

It worried their mother, but James calmed her down quickly.

"_It's just a phase, Lily. They will patch things up again in no time. They are twins…"_

But they didn't make up at all.

Harry James Potter was now eleven years old and awaiting his first Hogwarts letter.

His best friend should have been his twin brother Charlus.

But at this moment Harry Potter was as friendless as ever.


	2. Out of Place

**A/N: Hello guys! Hope you enjoy the second chapter. R & R =)**

* * *

"…_Happy Birthday to you…"_

"…_Happy Birthday dear CHARLUS…-"_

"_-and Harry!" _

"_Happy Birthday to YOU!"_

* * *

Harry Potter was alone. Normally that wouldn't be something to worry about. He liked to learn by himself in the safety of his room, where a dozen books waited for him. But today was his birthday and Harry knew that it wouldn't take too long until someone noticed his absence. He might have slipped under the radar of most people, but his mother and uncle Remus seemed to own a supernatural _Harry-sense _that allowed them to track him down wherever he went. It was quite annoying in his opinion. He really needed to find a way to become invisible when he started school.

But not in the way he was invisible to most people outside of his family. No, his mother and uncle were not going to mistake his name for Larry or Garry. They actually knew his name and they also knew that he didn't have hazel eyes like his brother. No, he certainly got lucky on that front. He really liked the green eyes that he shared with his mother. They were a lot more expressive than dad's eyes that tended to look dull from time to time if they weren't alight with mischief.

"Hiding away from everyone, Harry?"

The calm voice of his uncle Remus brought his musings to an abrupt end. The adult was smiling at him tiredly and Harry recalled that full moon was only two days ago. Usually Remus would have been resting now but he forwent the luxury in favor of his 'honorary' nephews' birthday party.

Due to this Harry felt a little guilty for ditching the celebrations so early but he didn't have any friends. The children down there came only for Charlus and wanted to spend their time with his brother and not Harry.

He was unwanted.

Okay, maybe that was a little exaggerated.

But Harry certainly felt out of place.

"_So, now that Ron finished as well, why don't we go outside and play a round Quidditch? We're fourteen if I counted correctly. That's ideal to form two teams. I'm captain and…Ernie is the captain of the opposition. Let's go!"_

"_Yeah!"_

"_Great idea!"_

"_I want to be on your team Charlie!" _

_It took only a few seconds and Harry Potter stood alone in a deserted dining room. _

_They had been fifteen._

_But he didn't count, obviously._

_His own brother had left him out. _

_Fully intended, too, for he knew that Charlus could indeed count beyond thousand and higher. _

_Their mother made sure of that._

* * *

"I'm not hiding," replied Harry after a while. He didn't want Remus to know that he well, wasn't able to connect with the children his age. It was somewhat embarrassing.

Unfortunately for him, though, Remus wasn't someone easily fooled.

"Are you sure? Everyone is playing outside and you're sitting in your room, all alone. Merlin, you didn't even excuse yourself. No one could tell where you went, Harry," said Remus quizzically. His amber eyes were piercing Harry, searching for any sign of outward discomfort and the youngest Potter tried his best to appear unruffled. However, it didn't work out for him.

Slightly irritated Harry decided to just spill the beans. He had a lot of things on his mind and if he was honest, the incident earlier wasn't that surprising for him. He became used to such moments after all. No, it was the increasing number of those happenings that unsettled him.

Would they stop at Hogwarts?

Or would they continue?

He didn't want to attend a boarding school where the children ignored him.

At home he had his parents and uncles that would pay attention to him. Yes, his father and uncle Sirius might prefer Charlus to him, but that was only the case because the three connected over Quidditch. Harry liked Quidditch too, but he wasn't obsessed like them. He preferred reading and learning about magic and other things. Acquiring knowledge stilled his inner curiosity, which never seemed to end.

He knew it could become dangerous.

"Curiosity killed the cat", said his father once.

His mother's response would always stick with him, though.

"_But satisfaction brought it back."_

"Harry?"

Remus' voice once again snapped him out of his thoughts. I need to get a grip on myself now, thought Harry frustrated. He didn't fancy ending up as a great loon like Professor Dumbledore, who gave Charlus and him their Hogwarts letters personally as a birthday present. It certainly made Charlus' day.

Harry couldn't say the same, though. It only made his stomach turn.

"I'm fine," answered Harry finally.

It was Harry's standard response. He couldn't remember when and where he obtained it but it was turning into a bad habit and Remus apparently thought so too.

"Don't give me that nonsense. I can see that you're troubled. Spill it out!"

Harry remained silent for a moment. He should have known that Remus wouldn't swallow it. But it didn't matter. He wanted to tell the truth anyway.

"I don't want to go to Hogwarts."

* * *

His uncle was speechless and Harry couldn't blame him. It must have come as a nasty shock. Harry Potter the boy who adored learning didn't want to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one of the finest magical schools in the world.

Merlin, Harry would have been shocked too, if he didn't know the reasons for it.

"You don't want to…," repeated Remus hoarsely. However, he didn't manage to finish the sentence.

Probably thinks that uttering it is blasphemy, thought Harry drily. He knew that his uncle loved Hogwarts. That he would give anything in order to relive his old school days.

"_Hmm, when was the best time of my life? Good question, Harry. I think that would have been at Hogwarts; surrounded by my friends and still mostly untouched by war."_

It was a nasty shock indeed.

His uncle spluttered a little more until he finally managed to formulate one comprehensible word.

"Why?"

It was only word, but it carried enough importance to convey the weight of all the questions that went through his uncle's head.

Only one word, but it asked for the hardest explanation Harry ever had to give.

It took a few moments, but then he finally voiced what went through his head for the better part of the day.

"I won't feel at home."

That was all he could answer at first.

For Remus it didn't explain very much.

But in Harry's eyes it explained all.

* * *

**A/N: That was my second chapter. Hope you guys liked it. The next one will probably take some time now. I'm a little low on motivation. **

**However, I'd like to thank those that reviewed my first chapter!**

**Thanks to geetac / ALPHAQ69 and 917brat !**

**But a special applause goes to geetac for leaving the first one ^^**


	3. In a Daze

**A/N: Welcome back! The chapter is a little longer this time around. I hope you guys enjoy it! R & R! **

**But first, thanks to RebeliousOne / Ceti H. Black / Kairan1979 / ep / Katconan / Riku Yamamoto / Silberbullet / 917brat and Man of Constant Sorrow for reviewing! Some of your questions get answered this chapter. **

**About Charlus being the true BWL: You'll see =)**

* * *

"_And you're completely sure that you wouldn't like it at Hogwarts?"_

"_Absolutely! I just…I don't fit in, Remus. I'm different."_

"_Different?"_

"_Well, I…they, the other children, don't like me. And to be honest, I can't stand most of them either. It's always about Charlus with those kids. I mean, look at Ronald Weasley. He basically worships the ground Charlus walks on!"_

"_That's not a very nice thing to say, Harry. However, I'll ignore it this time. What I really want to know is why you see no future at Hogwarts at all."_

"_I…I'll always be in _his _shadow. I won't be able to escape it there. I will never be great at Hogwarts. They will always see _him. _Not me. Never me…"_

" _Harry, I didn't know that Charlus' fame is troubling you so much. It must be a horrible strain on your relationship!"_

"_Nah, that's actually Ron. The fame is annoying, yeah, but it's mostly the effect it has on me that's bothersome. I feel completely invisible next to him. And I _hate _it. I truly hate it."_

…

"_Well, I think that's somewhat understandable. I guess this is the main reason you dislike the idea of attending Hogwarts. You want a fresh start. You want the chance to make a name for yourself. You don't want to be Harry, the brother of the boy-who-lived. You want to be Harry Potter. Just Harry; no other persons attached."_

"_Yeah, that would be nice."_

* * *

"But this is still a huge step," said Remus uneasily. A part of him still couldn't believe that a Potter was planning to avoid Hogwarts. He knew that James would be devastated. The Potters always went there; without a single exception.

But Harry is obviously going to be the one, thought Remus dryly.

"I know that! But I really want to go somewhere else," replied Harry stubbornly. He wouldn't be swayed. His decision was made and no one was going to change it.

"Alright, alright! But do you have any idea where you want to go? Beauxbatons? Durmstrang? Somewhere else?"

Harry stayed silent for a few moments. He hadn't really thought about an alternative yet. But did he really want to go to Beauxbatons? The academy was renowned like Hogwarts and Durmstrang didn't lack notoriety either.

"I'm not sure. I haven't thought this far ahead yet," Harry admitted to Remus. He hoped that his uncle would help him decide. There were a lot of magical schools and Harry would have a hard job choosing one.

Remus gave him an encouraging smile and Harry felt a little better.

"Okay, we will talk about the possibilities right now, Harry. It's already July 31th and most schools start in August or September. Time is running out, almost literally," said Remus tensely, before adding, "However, I am confident that we will find an acceptable solution."

Harry relaxed slightly. If Remus thought that they could do it then that would be probably the case.

"What do you know about other magical schools, Harry?"

"Well, Beauxbatons is somewhere in France and they have the OWL and NEWTs examinations in their last two years there. And Durmstrang, well, they actually teach the Dark Arts there, right? Dad and Sirus talked about that once," answered Harry enthusiastically. It wasn't much but he was still proud to know anything at all. He never dealt with that topic before. The only school that would be discussed at home was Hogwarts.

"Yeah, that's correct. Beauxbatons' current headmistress is Madame Olympe Maxime and the palace is located somewhere near the city of Cannes in southern France. The full name is Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, though. And Durmstrang Institute is probably located far up in the north. It is rumored to be very cold there. But you must also know that they do not admit Muggle-borns," clarified Remus pointedly.

Harry understood immediately that his parents would never allow him to attend Durmstrang and Remus next words certainly sealed the deal.

"Furthermore, the current headmaster is Igor Karkaroff, a former death eater."

"Alright, Durmstrang is out of the picture then!" Harry sighed.

"That leaves Beauxbatons," stated Remus.

"Yes, that might be, but I don't really fancy the idea of attending Beauxbatons either. Don't you know any other schools, uncle Remus?"

The adult seemed to be slightly anxious now. He hesitated at first but then he finally answered.

"Well, I do know some. However, the question is: How will you like them?"

"We'll see," said Harry impatiently. He wanted to hear about his other possibilities.

Remus laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll talk. Well, let's clear something up at first, though! I assume that you don't want to end up in Asia, Africa or South America, right?"

Harry nodded in agreement. He wanted away, yes, but he'd still prefer staying on the continent or at least in some regions where his mother language was being spoken. Besides, he feared that he wouldn't be welcome too far away. Some cultures were simply too far apart from each other.

"Okay, let's try Europe then. There are a lot of smaller magical schools here. Not as well-known as the three we already mentioned, but they are in no way inferior to them. In fact, some have even more choices where subjects are concerned. One of those schools is located in Switzerland. Windberg Institute is rather popular, but they allow only few foreign students there. I think two per year. Therefore, it's rather impractical," said Remus dryly, a smirk adorning his lips.

"Understatement," added Harry amused. Two students were nothing. The chances to get one of the spots were very slim.

"Hmm, there is Wettertal Academy as well. It's somewhere in Austria I think. But no wait! It's only open for students from Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Sorry, Harry! I know this isn't what you wanted to hear."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Remus! It's not like you pretended to be all-knowing about this," said Harry reassuringly. "However, isn't there any school that comes to your mind that would accept me?"

Remus mulled over the question carefully. He tried to recall something. He knew that there was a school somewhere in Germany. Blocksberg Academy? No, not quite. It was-

"-Brockenburg Academy! Of course! How could I forget that one? It's the best magical school within Germany and they allow international students too! It does have an entrance examination, though! And the lessons are held in German. But it has a very good reputation. Which is a given, now that I think about it. I mean, it only accepts the best of the best. You will have to score nearly perfectly. They only admit sixty students per year and it's fifty-fifty between boys and girls. I'm confident, though, that you could pull it off."

"Thanks, Remus."

"Anytime, Harry."

* * *

"_Alright, I'm going to fetch James and Lily now. They need to know about your decision."_

"_Already? Can't it wait till, well, tomorrow?"_

"_No Harry, it can't. You need to convince your parents to send you somewhere else than Hogwarts and believe me, James will put up a fight."_

"_Okay, fine. We do it now then…"_

* * *

His parents entered the room with worried expressions, Remus behind them. The werewolf closed the door and the noise of the celebrating guests faded away.

"What is it that you want to tell us darling?"

His mother's soft voice was filled with curiosity and the hazel eyes of James Potter were looking at him confused.

Harry dreaded their reactions already. But he was tired of beating around the bush.

"I won't go to Hogwarts."

The silence that ensued was filled with shock and consternation. But it wasn't surprising for Harry. He expected something like this after all.

"Excuse me," said James huskily, "did you just say that you won't attend Hogwarts? I think I've hear wrong!"

The last part was uttered in horror. One could simply see the disbelief that resonated with it.

Lily Potter seemed to be completely speechless, however. She stood there silent and frozen next to her husband, watching her son attentively.

Remus decided to intervene, "You heard indeed correctly, James. Harry doesn't want to go to Hogwarts."

James turned to his long-time friend. "B-but why?"

Remus began to answer, when Harry stepped in.

"I don't want to stay in Great Britain, dad, mum. All the people care about here is Charlus! And it's understandable, he is the boy-who-lived after all, but I can't be my own person next to him. No one will see me next to him at Hogwarts. That's the reason I want to go somewhere else. I want the opportunity to live a life outside of the omnipresent shadow that is my brother!"

Now both of his parents looked upset and Harry felt slightly guilty for causing their current emotional states.

It was his mother that spoke now. "I…I'm such a horrible mother!"

Her declaration shocked all three of the male room occupants.

"What? Lily no-"

"-that's nonsense-"

"-not true mum!"

"It is," said Lily firmly. "I didn't notice! Or I choose not to, I don't know. But I didn't pay enough attention to the fact that my youngest boy is feeling overshadowed! And I should have! If that isn't a sign for terrible mother then I don't know what else could be."

"That's complete rubbish, Lils," replied James, while grasping the hand of his beloved. Harry saw him squeeze it in a comforting manner and the only child in the room couldn't help but appreciate the obvious love his parents still had for each other.

Lily remained unconvinced, however, and Harry took it upon himself to dispel her worries.

"You're great, mum! Don't ever question that. You could have neglected me because of my brother's fame, but you never did! In fact, I think that you spend a lot more time with me, due to teaching me together with Remus! And Charlus is mostly with dad and Sirius, due to other different interests. So that's alright in my opinion. I mean, it's not like one of us gets ignored by you in favor of the other twin. Only non-family tends to do that. And that's why I want to leave. Therefore, it is not your fault!"

He finished his rant and looked at his parents expectantly. Would it be enough to sway them? His mother seemed to be mostly calm now.

"Okay, that's perfectly reasonable and all," started James and Harry knew that it would take more to convince his father. "But I don't see why you have to ditch Hogwarts. I mean, you can make your own friends there too! It's a big enough castle. Merlin knows that Sirius had almost no interaction whatsoever with his younger brother Regulus there."

Harry sighed. "But it's not big enough for us! Neither Sirius nor Regulus was the vanquisher of Lord Voldemort! Besides, they weren't in the same year, or in the same house."

"Well, you and Charlus probably won't be in the same houses earlier. Don't take it the wrong way, Harry, but you strike me more as a Ravenclaw than a Gryffindor and your brother will definitely end up in the latter," added James warily.

"Yeah, perhaps, maybe! But we could still end up in the same house. There is absolutely no guarantee. Besides, I'd have to be in Slytherin if I really wanted space between us. Do you want that dad; a son in Slytherin?"

It was a dirty move, but Harry was getting desperate. His father didn't understand. But how could he? He was an only child. He got all the attention he wanted. He didn't know how it was like. He never had to feel inferior. He never got to experience sibling rivalry or jealousy. He didn't know how it felt to be the constant loser in an ever-present competition against the brother-who-lived.

"I…well, no," admitted James, but a pointed cough from his wife let him elaborate on that matter instantaneously, "but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be proud of you in Slytherin!"

He laughed in a very strained manner and the pain of speaking of his former rival house in a somewhat nice way was nearly palpable. It seemed to amuse Remus greatly, as he was smirking at his friend mischievously. There truly was a Marauder deep within uncle Moony.

"I think Harry is right," said Lily suddenly. "Another school might be the perfect solution."

James gasped and seemed completely amazed. "Lily! What makes you say this?"

"Well, I don't want my children to hate each other. And they will James, if we force them to be together. I know what I'm talking about. My sister couldn't stand the fact that I had magical powers. That I was different from her and special in my parents eyes. She felt overshadowed too and started to despise me," she paused at this. "Not that I am trying to insinuate that Harry will do the same thing. But it _will _strain their relationship that isn't too great already even more. We can't allow this to happen, James," said Lily resolutely.

Her husband only nodded at this. He had paled at the thought of mutual hate between his sons. He knew that such things could end deadly. And he didn't want to lose one or both of his children. If it ever came to a serious fight between Harry and Charlus his younger son would probably die. He couldn't bear the thought.

"Alright! You don't have to go to Hogwarts, however much it pains me to say," declared James with a pained expression.

"What do you mean when you say that he won't have to go, dad?"

It was Charlus Potter who stood in the doorway at that moment, looking completely shocked.

* * *

**A/N: Please tell me what you think of this story so far. Right now it's still in progress storyline wise. So if you have any special requests state them now. I might actually take them into consideration =) **

**Info: **You'll notice a lot of German words in this story. I'll translate them for those that are interested.

**Windberg: **Wind = wind and Berg = mountain

**Wettertal: **Wetter = weather and Tal = valley

**Brockenburg: **Brocken = boulder and Burg = castle

However, Brocken is in this case an allusion to a mountain in Germany that is called this way. The Brocken is the highest peak of the Harz mountain range as well as Northern Germany in general. Sometimes it is referred to as **Blocksberg (**which is why Remus thought about that at first).

Special about the mountain is that it has always played a role in legends and that it has been connected with witches and devils. The fact that it is a misty mountain helped those stories a lot too.

**Well, that's it. Until next time! Don't forget to review! I could really use some feedback. It would be in your interest. Perhaps some things don't appeal to you and need improving. But I can't do so if you don't tell me. ;)**


	4. Across the Cobweb

**A/N: Hello again! I'm truly happy that you liked this story so far. I want to thank once again all the people that left a review last chapter. They motivated me to write even though I was slightly more interested in other things the last few days. Sorry that it took so long by the way, but I just didn't find the time to update…**

* * *

"_Alright! You don't have to go to Hogwarts, however much it pains me to say," declared James with a pained expression. _

"_What do you mean when you say that he won't have to go, dad?"_

_It was Charlus Potter who stood in the doorway at that moment, looking completely shocked. _

* * *

The tension had almost been unbearable. It wasn't just Charlus, who decided to visit Harry's room, but Sirius and the Weasleys too.

They tried to explain the reasoning behind the decision at first, but it fell mostly on deaf ears. Harry's own for that matter were still ringing with the different voices that expressed their lack of understanding.

Mrs. Weasley was convinced that his parents were ill or deeply confused.

"_Not going to Hogwarts? Preposterous! Are you sure that you're feeling alright, Lily dear?" _

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley agreed.

"_You do look a little peaky James. You may want to lie down. I mean, you can't be serious!"_

Sirius chimed in here of course.

"_No, that's me! And let me tell you, I'd never make such a foolish decision."_

Remus snorted at that.

"_Yeah, right…"_

And Charlus couldn't stay silent any longer then.

"_But mum! Dad! Do you have any idea how much it would cost to send Harry abroad? The fee amounts to 65 galleons! And that's only what the Ministry demands for the hassle it causes. And he will need an owl that can handle the distance. Those are really pricy! And then he needs an international travel pass! That's another 80 galleons, dad. Merlin, do you really think that Harry's worth the trouble?"_

His parents got really angry there. Harry too, of course.

"_Charlus Sirius Potter! How dare you say that about your brother?"_

"_Apologize right now, young man!"_

Ronald Weasley came to his defense of course.

"_Well, I see what Charlus means. As far as I am concerned, Harry must be cracked. I mean, who doesn't want to go to Hogwarts? It's bloody awesome."_

The soft _yeah _that followed came from the shy little thing that was Ginevra Molly Weasley. Harry really couldn't stand her. She always made mooneyes at his brother and well, was the epitome of a fangirl. It was pathetic. She might be pretty, but he'd never marry someone like her. Girls like her were definitely way too annoying and shallow.

However, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley admonished Ron for his comment, obviously.

"_Ronald Weasley! Do you have no sense of decency?" _

"_That's not the kind of behavior we can condone, son!" _

All in all, it had been a lively discussion.

Several Hogwarts staff members, including the famous headmaster Albus Dumbledore, joined the fray later on. Their reactions were probably the worst. It went from bewilderment to complete indignation.

But it were the headmaster's words that stuck with Harry the most.

"_Sometimes we have to follow a path that separates us from those we love and the destinations that await them. It's the course of life."_

The old man didn't seem very troubled with Harry's choice regarding his school career. But why would he? His main concern was Charlus, not Harry.

The youngest member of the Potter family knew that Dumbledore would always pull the strings in the background when it came to Charlus' road of life.

His family chose it this way.

James once told Harry that Charlus would one day become the champion of the light and thus, had to be raised as a light wizard. That meant no contact with dark magic whatsoever.

It would only taint him according to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore.

It always came down to him.

Harry didn't know what to make of that.

In the mind of most people Professor Dumbledore was the benevolent wizard with sparkling blue eyes and an extraordinarily long white beard, whereas Harry pictured something completely different.

To him the defeater of Grindelwald was nothing but an immensely well connected spider that manipulated all those that found their way into its intricate spun cobweb.

And everyone he knew was caught up in it.

But Harry was about to disentangle himself.

He decided against Hogwarts.

Against the cobweb.

* * *

When all their guests had left (except for Remus and Sirius), his parents went to gather as much information on magical schools as possible. It wasn't particularly difficult as his mother already owned several brochures that made the case for various outstanding institutions. Among them were Durmstrang and Beauxbatons too, of course.

James' quick and resolute no regarding Durmstrang and Sirius' immediate agreement were certainly no surprise. However, conflict arose the moment the two Marauders tried to convince Harry to go to Beauxbatons.

They both couldn't understand that Harry didn't want to go to school were the female students had the potential to be supermodels.

"_Harry! Are you quite sure that you aren't playing for the other Quidditch team? If you know what I mean," asked Sirius jokingly. Harry's lips twitched a little. _

"_That wouldn't be a reason not to go, though, Padfoot. Beauxbatons offers fine men too," replied Harry, a smirk adorning his face. He winked at his uncle and the last male member of the Noble and Ancient House of Black was left speechless, gaping like a fish. _

His father had been shocked at his response as well, but uncle Moony took it in stride. Well, it was hard to rattle a werewolf. Harry really didn't know why other people had such problems with them. They were human in his opinion and only had to shed their usual appearance once a month and only for a night. It was absolutely nothing where time is concerned.

He truly hated the prejudiced people that made up the wizarding world. However, if what he learned could be trusted, then Muggles weren't above such actions either. It seemed to be a general flaw of the human species.

* * *

When Harry explained his intention of reading up about Brockenburg Academy, his mother whole-heartedly joined the fray.

They discovered a lot of interesting information. The application deadline for the school and its entrance examinations was the fifth of August. So he had to really hurry up if he wanted to go there.

The examinations would be spread over six days, starting from the twentieth of August and the results would be announced on August the twenty-eighth.

The subjects that were being tested were Potions, History of Magic, Charms, Herbology, Astronomy, Transfiguration, Defense, World Studies (WS) and German.

Most of them contained a written part and a practical. The only exceptions were History, Astronomy and World Studies that consisted just of a written portion. However, World Studies was split into two halves. One dealt with the Muggle world and the other with the Wizarding world.

But what really caught their attention was the fact that Brockenburg didn't teach Defense the same way as Hogwarts. It actually had three different levels.

There was the White Level (Weiße Ebene), which seemed to be a reflection of the Defense against the Dark Arts that is taught at Hogwarts.

Then there was a Grey Level (Graue Ebene) that went a little further than that and contained a few darker concepts and spells.

And then there was the Black Level (Schwarze Ebene), which seemed to be more of an active Dark Arts class than anything else.

The three levels seemed to play an important role in school life in general too, though. Apparently, Brockenburg didn't have a house system like Hogwarts and relied on the different Defense levels instead.

Dorm mates were always from the same level and even the school uniforms displayed the initial letter that represented that student's level. Therefore, one could either end up with a W, G or S.

His parents insisted that he should sign up for the White Level, but Harry was reluctant about it. It seemed rather dull to him to study just one side of a rather complex magic field. Pure defense and no real grasp on the theory behind the dark arts seemed like a serious flaw in his education. Besides, he really enjoyed knowledge and the thought of being completely in the dark where one subject was concerned, unnerved him. He'd prefer a balance between the two and the Grey Level seemed like the perfect way to achieve that.

It took at least two hours, but in the end he persuaded them to let him sign up for his desired level.

* * *

"_The Grey Level, Harry? I'm not sure if that is such a good idea. You'll practice some dark magic there according to this brochure. Nothing extreme like in the Black Level, but still, this kind of magic can be tempting Harry. It is dangerous to use. Some can never stop after practicing it only once," said James apprehensively. _

"_I know that, dad! But look, it's more about the fact that I want to have a thorough education and the White as well as the Black Level, offer a somewhat one-sided view on their respective field," Harry paused for a moment. "The Grey Level, however, gives me the chance to explore both sides in a more balanced way."_

"_Yeah, that might be true, but please consider the risks son."_

"_I do, believe me. And I am sure that I can handle it. Besides, I have this theory," said Harry obviously unimpressed. James furrowed his eyebrows in response. "What kind of theory?"_

"_Yes, Harry, what do you mean exactly?" _

_His mother looked at him expectantly as well now. And his two uncles were paying him close attention too. _

"_Well, think about it. There are officially three groups in Brockenburg; the students from the White, Grey and Black Levels. Two of those learn concepts that differ greatly from each other and I assume that they might be in conflict with each other, similar to Gryffindor and Slytherin," said Harry calmly. _

_The adults in the room looked surprised._

"_Interesting connection you made there, Harry," replied Remus, who seemed to be greatly impressed with the boy's analytical skills."Where do you want to go with this, though?" _

"_That's easy," said Harry. "Let's say my assumption is right and the students from the White and Black Level do war against each other, what position will the one's from the Grey Level most likely have?"_

"_A neutral one?" Lily stated unsurely. _

"_Exactly! Which means that it will be safer for me, right? I mean, I don't fancy getting hexed by someone who is from the Dark Level, just because I'm part of their direct rival level."_

"_I suppose that makes sense," sighed James Potter. _

"_Grey Level it is then," exclaimed Harry happily. That went better than he thought. _

* * *

All the other details would be sorted out by his parents. His father was luckily a very important wizard (VIW) due to being the father of the boy-who-lived and could get away with sending his son abroad at the last moment; the son that wasn't Charlus Potter at least. The Ministry and Dumbledore never would have accepted that without a fight and certainly not at such short notice.

One of the advantages of being constantly overshadowed, thought Harry sardonically.

He had a lot more leeway where certain things were concerned.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know you probably wanted to read about the moments that followed Charlus' sudden appearance. I considered writing it in detail, but I felt that it would prolong things unnecessarily. However, the next chapter will feature a direct and private confrontation between Harry and his brother. **

**German vocabularies: **

**Level: **Ebene

**White: **Weiß

**Grey: **Grau

**Black: **Schwarz

**Not many this time around, thankfully ;)**

**Well, the next chapter could take even longer than this one. I have to learn the next two/three weeks intensively for an examination myself. Not unlike Harry :P **

**THANKS TO **

**RebeliousOne / geetac / .102 / CatchingSparks / EzuTheDarkLord / lightning king / GinaKim / Shadowdude333 / Kairan1979 / rmiser1994/ Meteorthunder3 / **Akemi** / **Lorna **/ THE BLACK PRINCE OF DARKNESS / sunsethill / Joe Lawyer and Silberbullet**

**for reviewing =)**

**Joe Lawyer: **I'll try to reduce these italicized scenes in future chapters. I kinda slipped into a habit of using them I'm afraid. So it might take a little time. But I realize that they could be somewhat overwhelming right now. The only reason I used them so far was to speed things up or to give insight into Harry's life in the past and present. Thanks for that bit of criticism, though. No one else complained and I guess that I felt too comfortable using this method because of it. Well, like I've said I try to avoid them in the future. But they might pop up every now and then if I can't help it…

**lightning king: **Yeah, I did skim over the whole 'certain countries should have magical schools just as great as Hogwarts or even better' bit somewhat for now but I can tell you that it will come up again further into the story. So don't worry. ;)


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